The buzz and excitement over discovering the finest gems from around the world is upon us! The AGTA GemFair is one of our favorite times of the year and we’re excited to share all of the new stones Niveet and Omi have been sourcing over the last year. Visit us at booth 401 for your personal tour of color!

As the year winds down, most of us involved with colored gemstones look ahead to our annual return to the Sonoran Desert city of Tucson, Arizona in early February. This vibrant city hosts people from across the globe on their pilgrimage to play a part in the colored gemstone trade. For those of us who attend the AGTA GemFair each year, we look forward to seeing familiar faces and meeting new people who have discovered their passion for color. If you haven’t visited Tucson at this time of year before, here are five reasons why you should:

#5 – It is Sunny and Warm in February!
For most people, this time of year is the apex of winter. Whether you have been enduring snow and ice on the plains or constant rain in the Northwest, you could really use a break from it all. WIth rare exception, you can count on sunny skies and warm days in the desert. Enjoy the opportunity to play a round of golf or just soak in the sun while you eat lunch outdoors. It is a great way to recharge your batteries in the middle of winter.

#4 – Ethical dealers
You might be hesitant to do business at a show you have never attended before, but you can be assured that at the AGTA show each and every exhibitor has been vetted for you. Only AGTA members can exhibit at GemFair in the friendly confines of the Tucson Convention Center. What this means to you is that these dealers are bound to a strict set of rules including full disclosure of treatments and demonstrated ethical business practices. And if by chance you do have an issue with a transaction, the AGTA will be there for you to help mediate any concerns to a satisfactory resolution. This peace of mind is a key reason for many buyers to shop only with AGTA members.

#3 – The Tents
The AGTA GemFair is located in the air conditioned, secure Tucson Convention Center, but at the same time there are up to 30 other shows going on throughout the city. Many of these shows are located in white tents on otherwise vacant lots. Inside these tents are vendors from all over the world selling a wide variety of products including rough, gemstones, minerals, crystals, fossils and so much more. It is not uncommon to see full-size dinosaur fossils and huge geodes right next to each other. It is worth one day of your time to hop on the shuttles and explore this bevy of shows around the city – it truly is part of the Tucson experience.

#2 – It is Beneficial to your Business
As margins continue to shrink in the ultra-competitive diamond world, and a younger group of consumers emerges looking for something more interesting, you owe it to the future of your business to explore the opportunities afforded to you in colored gemstones. This is one category in retail where margins are strong and unaffected by the more commoditized diamond market. The AGTA GemFair offers a range of vendors in all price points – there truly is something for everyone under this roof. Take the chance to learn about gemstones you may have never seen before and current market conditions affecting certain segments of the industry. Many opportunities will present themselves as a way to enhance or change the way you do business. The energy is contagious.

#1 – Colored Gemstones
Tucson is the center of the colored gemstone universe for this week every year. Miners and cutters come to market with their newest finds and latest production. You owe it to yourself and your client’s to be on site where all of this activity is happening. You will be able to see in real time what others are buying and selling. You may come across product that will be appreciated by your clients based on the color, quality or price. We expect that anyone coming to Tucson for the first time will be inspired by all that the colored gemstone world has to offer. We never get tired of walking these aisles and seeing what treasures the earth has yielded in the last year.

Omi Gems has been a part of the AGTA GemFair Tucson for over 30 years. It is a market established on trust and quality. We hope that you take advantage of the opportunity to come see us in Tucson in 2018 – you will find us in the front row in booth 401.

Recently, the US government decided to lift the ban on the importation of rubies and jade from Myanmar (Burma) that had been in place since the Lantos JADE act of 2008. During this time, the prices of Burmese rubies has increased exponentially due to many market conditions and the restricted trade. So, what will it mean to the American trade and the end consumer now that rubies can now flow freely from Burma?

In simple Economics 101, people would assume that with greater supply that prices would drop. In most cases this would be true, but in this case, we don’t see a huge number of affordable rubies flooding into the US market. During the period that this ban was in place, Burmese rubies continued to be sold in every other country in the world. The supply was still not meeting that demand, thus the increase in prices globally. There is no huge stockpile of gems in Burma waiting to be sent to the US market. Yes, they are now available to be imported directly, but US buyers still have to compete with other international buyers for this limited supply. This competitive market will keep ruby prices high as buyers of fine rubies will pay top price for high quality gemstones for their discerning clients.

We at Omi Gems are very supportive of the lifting of the ban. We have maintained the belief since it was implemented that the ban was doing more harm than good to the artisanal miners in the Mogok region. Our family has a rich history of close ties to Burma. Five generations have passed since our family mined rubies in Mogok, but we still have strong connections with ruby sources in the country. We are also very involved with rubies coming out of Mozambique, Madagascar and Tanzania, but we do have a special love for the chromium-rich Burmese gems and their siganture “glow”

Our current selection of Burmese rubies is very strong and we expect to build it up even more with the freedom of access to new productions. We have most sizes available from melee up to larger single gemstones. We are closely monitoring how the market is affected by new Burmese supply and economic softening in Asia, but we are not counting on lower prices based on early indications from the sources. We will use our relationships to obtain rubies at the best prices we can and pass that value along to our clients.

It’s our favorite time of year because Tucson is here! Visit us at the AGTA GemFair booth 401 to view our fine colored gemstone collection as well as a great selection of closeouts. We look forward to seeing you!

It’s our favorite time of year at Omi Gems, as we prepare for the AGTA GemFair in Tucson, AZ. From February 2nd-7th you have the unique opportunity to view our loose gemstone inventory as well as many closeout deals! We have a large selection of fine rubies including matched pairs, suites and no-heat collector quality large singles. View our collection at booth 401 at the AGTA GemFair located in the Tucson Convention Center.

If you haven’t visited Bill Boyajian’s blog, now is the perfect time. Bill is a renowned industry leader and business guru who is always looking for ways to help jewelers thrive. His most recent blog has some great tips on selling colored gemstones and why you should definitely add more color to your life! We look forward to seeing you all in a few weeks at the AGTA GemFair Tucson, booth 401.

By Bill Boyajian as seen on his Blog:
I work with a lot of jewelers and continue to be surprised and disappointed at the lack of colored gemstone jewelry in their stores. I love colored stones, as do most gemologists. That’s why I can’t understand why more independents, in particular, don’t carry as much colored stone jewelry as they should. With the Tucson Shows starting in early February, here are eight reasons why jewelers should stock and promote colored gemstones:

With the hustle and bustle of Christmas behind us, most of us are using this week to reset and think about our goals for the coming New Year. What better way to brighten up 2016 than with some fine blue sapphires? We have acquired many fine parcels of blue sapphires for your custom designs. View a select few below and call us at 877.OMI.GEMS if you are looking for a specific shape or size. We’re ready to help you make 2016 your most colorful year yet!

This year, nine designers took the challenge of designing jewelry around a 4.59 carat fancy purple sapphire from Omi Gems. A special daughter about to leave the nest and a natural purple sapphire are at the heart of the 2015 MJSA Online Design Challenge. Nine designers were supplied with the fictional scenario, presented here, about a father wanting to surprise his graduating daughter with a special gift before sending her out to conquer the world.

Now it’s your turn: Vote for your favorite design by visiting the MJSA.org website and following their voting instructions before October 31, 2015. The winner of the 2015 MJSA Journal A Little Piece of Home Design Challenge will be announced in the December print edition of MJSA Journal.

The magical, fiery birthstone for October is opal and we’re thrilled to present some of our finest black opals to date. Few things are as remarkable as the highly prized Australian black opal. The Lightning Ridge area of New South Wales produces a very finite supply of this phenomenal stone. Enjoy the wondrous play-of-color this October from Omi Gems!